


Lights Will Guide You Home

by Ariella1941



Series: In The Shadow of Empires [9]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: F/M, POV First Person, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-02
Updated: 2016-04-02
Packaged: 2018-05-30 15:45:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6430567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ariella1941/pseuds/Ariella1941
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lana Beniko comes to Theron with a proposal, and information on the identity of the “Outlander”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lights Will Guide You Home

**Author's Note:**

> I’m vague on the timeline because SWTOR is. From Theron’s letter to the Outlander, it sounds as if he’s known for awhile, but that’s rather fuzzy. So place it wherever you feel it fits on the KotFE timeline.
> 
> I'm probably not going to post the stories in any chronological order, though I do intend to tell the story of Aryelle and Theron from Shadows of Revan through Knights of the Fallen Empire. It's just easier to get it down as they come to me.

_Theron, I’m sorry we aren’t meeting on Coruscant as planned, but Darth Marr just contacted me. He believes he’s found Vitiate’s trail. You know as well as I do we can’t afford to let it grow cold if it is the Emperor. I’m taking_ Shrike _to rendezvous with Marr’s flagship immediately. Reading between the lines, Marr’s not looking for a confrontation, but proof. He knows as well as we do that neither the Empire or the Republic can take Vitiate alone, so we’re just going to have to find something to convince the idiots in the Senate and on the Dark Council. And as soon as we get that proof though, you and I are going to finish what we started. I promise, I won’t be gone long. Take care, and may the Force be with you._

I paused the recording, staring at the small hologram of Aryelle Thrace. She’d never been able to keep her promise to me. The Hero of Tython died aboard Marr’s destroyer in an ambush by the Eternal Fleet, and I’d been feeling her absence ever since.

I shut the holo down, thinking for maybe the thousandth time I should delete the damned thing, but I just couldn’t. It was the only thing of her I had.

I sat in a back booth of the Slippery Slope Cantina on Nar Shaddaa’s lower Promenade waiting for my contact to show up. I’d left SIS when it became apparent that Saresh wasn’t interested in fighting the real enemy.  But other people were, and I’d been waiting for this meeting for a while.

Lana Beniko walked over to my table and said, “Hello, Theron.”

“Lana,” I nodded to the place across from me, “have a seat.” She settled in and looked at me with those yellow eyes of hers. “My people have been tripping over yours the past few weeks. Since I know you’re not that sloppy, I’m going to assume it was to get my attention.”

 _Or test my network,_ I thought with some annoyance.

“I wanted to be sure you were still in the game,” she replied.

“Well, I am, and I’m here so, why don’t we just cut to the chase and you tell me what you want.”

Lana suddenly looked a little uncomfortable, kinda like a kid who just got caught doing something she shouldn’t.

“First I… I have some information to share, but it may be… not difficult but…”

“Out with it, Lana,” I told her sharply, wondering what the hell she was worrying about.

“Please understand, I only confirmed this a few weeks ago, but Aryelle is alive.”

I stared at her and tried to make sense of what she said:

_Aryelle is alive._

“I’d _know_ if she were alive, Lana,” I snapped at her.

The worst part about that feeling of absence was sometimes it felt like I’d turn around, and she’d be there.

“And I think you do, even if you’re not conscious of it, Theron, but she _is_ alive. She’s Arcann’s ‘Outlander’. He has her locked in carbonite in the Spire.”

“You said you just _confirmed_ it a few weeks ago,” I said, trying to find my balance, “how long did you suspect she was out there?”

“When both Darth Marr and Emperor Valkorion died, it sent ripples through the Force,” she explained, “We all felt it, but not one person I’ve spoken to felt the same for Aryelle. Considering her power, we would have.”

“So you knew for how long, and didn’t even _tell_ me!”

“I didn’t _know_ anything, Theron, I only had suspicions, and given how quickly Arcann attacked after his father’s death, I had no time to investigate fully.”

I took a deep breath and sat back. Lana was right, and I knew it. Arcann’s invasion of the Core Worlds sent everyone scrambling. Even if I had known then, there was nothing I could have done.

Now, however, was a different story.

_Aryelle is alive._

She and I never really declared what we were to each other. All I knew was that even the simple act of holding her hand, feeling the touch of her skin, made me feel content in a way I never through possible.

“I’m going to assume you were your usual thorough self then, Lana,” I replied, somehow managing to keep my voice even, “and this source is trustworthy?”

“She was a Knight of Zakuul, but she’s chosen to go into opposition because of Arcann’s actions,” Lana explained, “that and bits and pieces from several other contacts I’ve managed to make in Wild Space confirm her story.”

“So it’s a rescue,” I said.

“It’s more than that, Theron, and while I _am_ grateful Aryelle’s alive on a personal level, the galaxy needs the Jedi Master who has done the impossible on a regular basis,” Lana looked at me for a moment, and I wondered what she was looking for. That I was going to run off and do something stupid probably. But that wasn’t going to happen. If we were going to save her, I needed to be Agent Theron Shan. At the same time, I realized I had something to fight _for_ again. And it felt pretty good.

“I believe we can build an alliance that could challenge Arcann,” Lana continued, “and if we can rescue her, we will have someone can inspire. And who has the experience to lead.”

I nodded, “All right, Lana, I’m in,” I told her, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I smiled. “You know she’s going to hate having another title.”

Lana smiled back, “She’ll adapt. She always has.”

We spent another hour discussing basic strategy, and potential recruits, but a part of my mind wasn’t on alliances, recruits or strategy. It was on the woman I cared for more than anyone.

_We’re coming, Ary, and then you and I will finally finish this. I promise._


End file.
